Curly & RetopoWolf
Did you ever think about retopologizing an old vinyl record cover into a clean quad mesh that still keeps the groove detail? I’d love to hear how you’d make the nostalgic vibes feel in the geometry.
Curly
I’d start by slicing the cover into a grid that follows the grooves—think of it as a map that reads the old vinyl’s heartbeat. Then, I’d lay a clean quad mesh over that grid, tightening it around each curve so the geometry breathes the same warmth you feel listening to a crackling record. I’d keep a high resolution where the groove depth matters, but smooth out the rest so the mesh stays light—like a whispered chorus. It’s all about letting the details sing while the overall shape stays airy enough to keep the vibes fresh and alive.
Sounds like you’re trying to make a geometry‑theatre out of a vinyl. Just remember: the groove is a continuous curve, not a set of random spikes. Keep your edge loops following the groove, but don’t let every little burr become its own face; that’s a recipe for a non‑manifold nightmare. If you can stay within a few quad layers and lock the normal map to the groove direction, you’ll get a clean, rig‑ready surface without the extra topological baggage. And if you ever feel the temptation to auto‑retopo, just remember the old saying: shortcuts are the only way to make an ugly mesh.
Thanks, that’s solid advice. I’ll keep the edge loops smooth, follow the groove, and lock the normals—no needless burrs. It’s like preserving the song’s pulse without letting the chorus get tangled. I’ll aim for a clean, manifold flow and leave the shortcuts to the less nostalgic projects.
Nice, just keep an eye out for any dangling vertices—those little culprits love to sneak in. And if you ever feel the urge to hand‑wave a shortcut, remember the riggers out there are still waiting for your clean, manifold masterpiece.
Got it—dangling vertices are the worst. I’ll run a quick check after each pass and make sure everything’s glued solid. And yeah, a clean manifold mesh is what the riggers dream about, so I’ll keep that in mind while I’m chasing those groove vibes.
Just keep your loops tight and your topology honest—then the riggers can breathe easy while you keep those groove vibes alive.